Rob Hansen sends the following regarding this message which I posted earlier…
Reading last night's missive to you when you posted it, I spotted a small but very significant typo on my part. Actually, the first London convention was held in 1938, not 1939. Sigh, this is why writing emails last thing before turning in for the night is not a good idea.
As it happens, the second ever London convention was held in 1939 at Druid's Hall (full name: The Ancient Order of Druids Memorial Hall), amid a large papier mache model of Stonehenge, apparently. It's always amused me that the building erected on this site after the war later housed the Aliens Registration Bureau.
In the meantime, Anthony Tollin sends this…
My late friend Sam Moskowitz put on the first American science fiction convention in Newark, New Jersey on May 29th, 1938. The following year, 1939, Sam ran the first World Science Fiction Convention, so named because it was originally to be held on the grounds of the New York World's Fair, over the 4th of July weekend. Julie Schwartz, a friend of mine whom I believe you knew too, chronicled that weekend (and 4SJ's participation) on pp. 49-52 of his memoir, Man of Two Worlds.
Well, of course I knew Julie very well…too well at times, but that's another matter. He kept explaining the history of science-fiction fandom to me and getting me more and more confused with each explanation. I hosted a couple of panels over the years and attended meals where he and Forry Ackerman and sometimes Ray Bradbury reminisced over "those days" and it always resembled the scene in The Sunshine Boys where they're arguing whether Sol Burton was the manager of the Belasco or the Morosco.
As I said, I really am not an authority on this aspect of fandom…when and where the first conventions were. I defer to you and Mr. Hansen. I just want to know who invented panels at conventions and how many more I have to host before I have the record.